Odia mountaineer Kalpana Dash's mortal remains reach home

Mortal remains of Kalpana Dash, Odisha's only woman climber to have scaled the Mt Everest, arrived here from New Delhi on Sunday. Rich tributes were paid to the climber after her body reached the Biju Patnaik International Airport here, ten days after Dash (53) passed away while descending from the peak on May 23.

Her body was flown to Delhi from Kathmandu in Nepal on Saturday following completion of formalities at the base camp at Lukla. Dash, a lawyer by profession, was the first Odia mountaineer to have scaled the Mt Everest on May 21, 2008, along with a team of five members from the US, Canada and Nepal.

Eminent personalities from across Odisha paid their tributes to the mountaineer after her body arrived here. Hundreds of people, including Odisha's Sports and Youth Services Minister Tusharkanti Behera and Women and Child Development Minister Tukuni Sahu paid their homage to the mountaineer at Kalinga Stadium, where her mortal remains were kept after being flown in from Delhi.

Describing Dash as an ace climber, Behera said she was an achiever who set examples for others. "She is no more but will continue to inspire young talents to scale new peaks," he said. The minister also thanked all those involved in bringing back the body of Dash and said the state government acknowledges the role played by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu, the search team and others who carried out the tough task braving imclement weather and difficult terrain. The name of Dash will be recommended for a Padma award, he said.

Sahu said she will take necessary steps for setting up a memorial in honour of Dash. The people waiting along the roadside, also paid their respect to Dash who hailed from Dhenkanal. Her body was later taken to Dhenkanal and kept at the mini stadium there for the people to pay their last respect. Following the demise of Dash, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had directed the sports department to take necessary steps to bring back her mortal remains. Dash, who was a member of the Three Women Expedition group, held a number of records for scaling several peaks in India, Nepal, South America, Australia and Europe.

(With inputs from agencies.)